Trials of a radical new helmet invented by Englishman, Kenneth Phillips, show an increase in protection by over 60% over conventional helmets.
The helmet uses the same protective strategy as the skull itself and takes into account the rotational forces that cause a lot of the soft tissue damage assosciated with crashes. While the scalp slides over the skull to act as a rotational shock absorber, with the brain ‘floating’ inside a layer of cerebral fluid, the helmet will use a soft polymer outer ‘scalp’ and a fluid filled inner layer to seperate the hard shell from the head itself.
Results of testing have been so promising that he has now been awarded £100,000 to complete a full prototype spec. version. Although designed for motorcyclists it has also been suggested as ideal for “police or horseriders”. Whether this means they’ve just forgotten cyclists or that the weight and difficulties in providing adequate ventilation compatible with the new technology are too much to overcome at present will presumably be revealed with the launch of the prototype.